Great Martyr Katherine

Galatians 3:23-4:5 (11/25) Epistle for the Feast of Great Martyr
Katherine of Alexandria
Great Women Martyrs: Galatians 3:23-4:5, especially vs. 28, "There is
neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither
male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus."
Saint John Chrysostom expands this teaching of the Apostle Paul
concerning the place of women as equals within the Church. We are
reminded to honor them in memory eternal: "Many women have suffered
martyrdom. She is able to practice chastity even more than men, no such
strong flame disturbing her, and to show forth modesty and gravity and
'holiness, without which no one shall see the Lord' (Heb. 12:14), and
contempt of wealth, if she will, and in short all other virtues." Yes,
countless women have witnessed unto blood for Christ. During
commemorative Litiya - a word from the Greek meaning Prayers of
Supplication - the Church specifically names among "...the holy,
glorious, great women martyrs, Thekla, Barbara, Anastasia, Katherine,
Kyriaki, Photeini, Marina, Paraskeva and Irene...," not forgetting many
who remain unnamed!
The virtues and strengths of the great women martyrs are well defined in
the present reading; exemplifying what Saint Paul describes as being
justified by faith (vs. 24), sons of God, that is, heirs of the His
Kingdom (vss. 26, 29), in Christ (vs.27), and redeemed from all bondage
to the spiritual powers of the world (vs. 5). Thus, they call us to
follow them in the life in Christ, and by their prayers will surely aid
us to attain His heavenly Kingdom with them.
The great Martyr Katherine of Alexandria shows herself wholly justified
by faith (vs. 24), being "Set aflame with divine longing for Christ...,"
for she "...didst despise the torments..." of the Emperor Maxentius in
his paganism. He thought to defeat her wisdom before His great court
philosophers; but she defeated them in reasoning, leading them to faith
in Christ. In fury, the Emperor had his philosophers burned. Katherine's
courage before Maxentius so moved his Empress, that she came to the
martyr and found life in Christ. Maxentius then tortured and slew his
wife, and, after further tortures failed to prevail over Katherine's
faith, he had her beheaded.
The great Martyr Barbara chose the Kingdom of God, our true inheritance,
above the riches of natural family, being a child of God (vs. 26). She
repudiated all the suitors offered by her godless father. Then, she was
"...slain and offered unto God as a sacrifice" at his hands.
When we are "...baptized into Christ [and] have put on Christ" (vs. 27),
we are redeemed (vs. 5) from every bondage by which persons and
institutions in this world may seek to enslave us to their ways or
desires. But when we know that we are free in spirit through Christ, we
gain His unconquerable detachment from whatever would enslave us. The
Great Martyr Anastasia was the daughter of a pagan senator in the city
of Rome. However, her mother, Fausta, was a Christian who had been
instructed by the wise tutor, Chrysogonos, from whom Anastasia learned
the freedom that is ours in Christ. Legally married, she avoided her
husband's advances, outlived him, and spent his wealth in bringing
relief to Christians undergoing imprisonment and torture. She traveled
widely over the Empire, supporting the faithful everywhere until
finally, under Diocletian's Governor in Illyricum, she was burned alive,
freely giving her soul to Christ.
The hosts of the great women martyrs "...by divers torments and fire and
stripes showed forth and depicted the saving and august Passion of
Christ....Being set aflame with the fire of the love of the Lord God,
they fully disdained the fire...and thus...wholly burned up the dead
wood of error's insolence...and, in that they poured forth their blood
in streams through their endurance and great patience, they watered all
the Church, which then blossomed forth with faith." Let us learn from
them that we may become "...heirs according to the promise" (vs. 29).
O Great Martyrs, pray that we may attain to the lot which we were given
through mercy.